Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional. Line the base of a 15 cm round cake tin with baking paper; leave the sides ungreased so the sponge can climb evenly. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt.

2. 2

   For the sponge, whisk the egg and caster sugar over a bowl of barely simmering water for 2-3 minutes until lukewarm, then beat with an electric mixer until very thick, pale, and tripled in volume, 4-5 minutes more. The mixture should fall in a ribbon that briefly sits on the surface.

3. 3

   Fold the sifted dry ingredients into the egg foam in 2 additions using a spatula, turning the bowl as you fold to keep as much air as possible. Stir a spoonful of batter into the melted butter, then fold that mixture back into the batter so the butter incorporates without deflating it.

4. 4

   Scrape the batter into the tin and bake for 16-18 minutes, until the top springs back lightly and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then unmould onto a rack and let it cool completely before slicing; a warm sponge will tear.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, make the cherry filling. In a small saucepan, combine 100 ml of the reserved cherry juice with the caster sugar and bring just to a simmer. Stir the cornstarch with the remaining 20 ml juice until smooth, whisk it into the pan, and cook for 30-60 seconds until glossy and thick. Fold in the drained sour cherries and kirsch, then spread on a plate to cool quickly.

6. 6

   Make the kirsch syrup by stirring together the reserved cherry juice, kirsch, and caster sugar until the sugar dissolves.

7. 7

   For the decoration, finely shave or grate the dark chocolate. Keep it cool so it stays crisp.

8. 8

   Whip the cold double cream with the icing sugar, vanilla extract, and kirsch to medium peaks. It should hold its shape but still look smooth; overwhipped cream will look grainy and be harder to spread cleanly.

9. 9

   Slice the cooled sponge horizontally into 2 even layers. Place the first layer on a serving plate and brush with about half of the kirsch syrup. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over it, pipe or spoon a cream border around the edge, then fill the center with all of the cooled cherry filling; the border helps keep the filling from leaking.

10. 10

    Top with the second sponge layer and brush with the remaining syrup. Cover the top and sides with whipped cream, smoothing with a palette knife. Reserve enough cream to pipe 4 rosettes on top.

11. 11

    Press the chocolate shavings onto the sides and scatter some over the top. Pipe 4 cream rosettes, place a whole cherry on each, and chill the cake for 10 minutes to set the cream slightly before serving. Slice with a hot, dry knife for neat portions.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Using jarred or tinned sour cherries makes this 60-minute version realistic while keeping the classic flavour profile.
• •Chill the mixing bowl and beaters for the cream if your kitchen is warm.
• •For the cleanest layers, trim the sponge dome if needed and use a serrated knife.
• •Kirsch is traditional; if omitted, replace it with cherry juice, though the cake will be less authentic.

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